A first step taken. The US Congress voted on Tuesday, May 10, in favor of drelease of a new staggering envelope of nearly 40 billion dollars for Ukraine. This package must now be voted on in the Senate before being promulgated by the President of the United States, Joe Biden. In this envelope, six billion dollars are devoted to equipping armored vehicles, anti-aircraft defense at a time when fighting is still raging in the east and south of the country. Nearly 9 billion dollars are also planned to ensure, among other things, “the continuity of Ukrainian democratic institutions”, as well as a broad humanitarian component. Follow our live.
A sum greater than that proposed. Lhe American president had been demanding for several weeks a huge budget extension of 33 billion dollars to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion. But, Monday evening, Democratic and Republican leaders agreed to go even further, finding a compromise around an envelope of 40 billion dollars, the equivalent of Cameroon’s GDP in 2020.
The Russian threat is moving away from Kharkiv. In the field of war, thehe Russian noose is loosening on Kharkiv, the second city of Ukraine located in the east and which had been shelled since the end of February. This was affirmed by the Ukrainian authorities, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, when the conflict could spread towards the southwest according to Washington.
Putin has no intention of stopping in Donbass, according to US intelligence. Vladimir Putin does not intend to limit his desire for occupation to the Donbass region of Ukraine alonebut wants to bring the conflict to Transdniestria, a region of Moldova which seceded in 1990. This was affirmed on Tuesday by the head of American intelligence, Avril Haines. “We believe that President Putin is preparing for a protracted conflict in Ukraine, during which he still intends to achieve goals beyond Donbass”she said during a congressional hearing.